Door hinge construction



Nov. 5, 1963 R. E. HAY

nooR HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 22, 1962 llllllllllllllllt INVENTOR #Trams/5y 3,169,194 DOOR HINGE CONSTRUCTION Raymond E. Hay, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Rehco Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,800 4 Claims. (Cl. 16-75) This invention relates to a door hinge construction, and more particularly to a self-closing door .and hinge construction.

It is an object of this invention to provide a hinge construction to be used with a [door where spring means is provided which will be tensioned when the door is opened, and when released the tension of the spring means will impart rotation to the hinge and the door will close by itself.

it is another object of this invention to provide a torque spring means associated with the hinge which will cause a door to return to a closed position when it is released from an open position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pintletype hinge and torque spring construction to be used with a door so thatthe door is capable of self-closing once the door has been manually opened.

An additional object of this invention is to provide -a rotatable, adjustable, spring tensioning means and hinge construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a door hinge construction which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from a consideration of the description which follows wherein the rdetails of construction of embodiments thereof are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a front elevational view of a cabinet and a pair of doors thereon provided with the new and novel hinge construction.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational sectional View showing the cabinet and door and the hinge construction.

FlG. 3 is a view taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2, showing a portion of the hinge construction and the door upon which the hinge construction is iitted.

FlG. 4 is a view taken on line `4 4 of FIG. 2, showing further details of the hinge construction.

For purposes of illustration, the new and novel hinge construction is shown aixed to doors, generally designated 10, which are itted within a floor cabinet, generally designated 1.2, mounted upon a kick plate support 14 on a oor 16. The hinge assembly 18 extends through the door 19 from the cabinet bottom 2n into the counter top 22 of the cabinet 12.

The cabinet 12 is formed with a bottom L-shaped bracket 24, yhaving a bottom leg 26 secured to the cabinet bottom 20, and a vertical leg 28 rising from the bottom leg 26. The L-shaped bracket 24 extends horizontally from one end of the cabinet to the other, and the top of the upright leg 28 deiines part of the opening 36 of the cabinet. A lintel or top `support 3d extends horizontally and generally parallel with the bracket 24, and includes a horizontal leg portion 32 to which is secured the counter top 22, and a generally vertical leg yportion 34 extending downwardly from the leg portion 32. The vertical leg 34 forms the upper limits of the opening 36.

The door l1t) illustrated in the drawings is hollow and includes a generally rectangular front face 38 and an annular flange 40, extending from the fface, a portion of which rforms a bottom and a top end, 42 and 44, respectively, of the door 10. Fitted within the door and extending from the bottom end 42 through the top end 44 is a hollow, circular, hinge pin or tube 46. This pin 46 is j einem Patented Nov. 5, 1963 rice rigidly secured to the bottom and top end 42. and 44, respectively, by means of welding 43, or any other suitable means. Adjacent the bottom 42 the pin 46 is crimped at 50, and again crimped at 52 further up `the hinge pin 46. The reasons for the crimpings 50- and 52 will become apL parent during the course of this specification.

A pintle plate 54 is secured through the bottom 20 and bottom leg 26 of the Icabinet 12 by means of a bolt 56. The plate 54 extends outwardly beyond the upright leg 28, and is fitted with an adjustable threaded pintle pin 5'8, which is threadably secured to the pintle plate 54, and a lock nut 6i! is secured to the pin 58 bearing against the plate 54. The pin 5S has a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the hinge pin 46, and is fitted within the hinge pin `46 through an opening '55 in the bottom wall 42, as :best seen in FIG. 2. 'Ihe pintle pin 58, at its upper end, is formed with a seat 57 to receive a ball bearing 62. The ball bearing 62. is seated Within the seat 57 and engages the crimping 50 of the hinge pin 46. The crimping forms the thrust bearing surface and the door 10 is pivoted upon the Iball bearing 62.

To adjust the door 1li Within the opening 36, the pin 58 may be adjusted up or down ywithin the plate 54.

The horizontal leg 32 of the lintel or top support 30 is lformed with an opening 64, which receives a rotatably mounted .sleeve bushing `66. The bushing 66 is formed with an arm or extension 68, best seen in FlG. 3, which iits against the horizontal leg 32 of the lintel 30. This arm 68 is provided with an arcuate adjustment slot 70 adjacent the end of the arm remote from the bushing 66. An adjustment set Iscrew 72 passes upwardly through the slot 70 into the horizontal leg 32 to fixed-ly secure the bushing 66. This arm `618 is used to regulate the tension of a spring mean-s, and will be discussed in more detail.

ln order to achieve the self-closing of the door lil, a pairV of generally flat, elongated torque, leaf springs 74 and '76 are positioned through a slot 78 at the top of the bushing 66 and extend into the hinge tube 46 and through the crimp 52. In order to prevent the springs 74 and 76 from falling through the slot 78, the ends and 82 are bent from the vertical axis of the springs. Thus, the springs 74 and 76 have ends :suspended from the bushing 66, and the other ends gripped by the crimped portion 52, as rbest seen in FIG. 4.

In operation, when the `door Iii is opened by means of handle 84, the lower portion of the springs 74 and 76 will rotate with the hinge pin 46 and will be twisted, and tension placed on them because the upper portion of the springs will remain xed and non-rotatable. Thus, when the door handle `S4 is released, the tension stored in the torque springs 74 and 76 will rotate the hinge pin, which will in turn force the door to return to a closed position.

While the embodiment illustrated in this invention shows the use yof two springs 74 and 76, it should) rbe understood that a single leaf spring, coil type tension spring, or any other equivalent type of spring having the necessary resiliency may be employed to the same advantage.

While the crimping 52 in the drawings is illustrated as being nearer to one end than the other of the hinge pin 46, the crimping and length of the spring can be varied, dependent upon the size of the door and the force which is necessary to close the door once it is opened.

The extension 68 serves to regulate the tension on the springs 74 and 76, because by moving the extension 68, the bushin-g 66 and slot 78 will rotate about the vertical axis ofthe springs causing a slight tension to be placed on the springs. Such adjustable tensioning means would be of great value ras the springs become old and use has tended lto weaken the tensile strength of the springs.

While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of Vthe invention may occur to those skilled -in the art; therefore, it is intended that no limitation be imposed upon the invention except as defined b-y the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

Il. A self-closing door and hinge construction comprisring: a door mounted in a door frame structure by hinge means, said 4hinge means including a vertical, hollow, elongated hinge pin rigidly secured to said door adjacent one edge thereof; means for rotatably mounting said hinge pin at the top and bottom of said door frame structure; a torque spring disposed within said 'hollow hinge pin; means at the top of said door frame structure mounting one end portion of said torque spring in .a fixed non-rotational position; a crimp lformed in said hollow elongated hinge pin intermediate the ends thereof for retaining the opposite end of said torque spring fixedly in said hinge pin for rotation therewith, whereby when said hinge pin is rotated on opening said door said torque spring is tensioned, and upon release of said door the tension of said lspring imparts rotation to said `l1-inge pin to close said door.

-2. A self-,closing door and hinge construction comprising: a door mounted in a door frame structure by hinge means, said hinge means including a vertical, hollow, elongated hinge pin rigidly secured to said door adjacent one edge thereof, and formed with an end extension; a pintle pin mounted on the bottom of said frame structure extending into one end of said hollow hinge pin, and formed with a seat thereon, a ball bearing rotatably mounted on said seat and a thrust hearing surface provided in said hinge pin engaging said ball bearing for rotatable mounting of one end of said hinge pin, said end extension of said hollow hinge pin projecting from said door toward the top of said frame structure, bush-ing means rotationall-y, adjustably mounted in said top of `said frame structure receiving said end extension vfor rotatable mounting of said other end of said hinge pin, a torque spring in the form of a generally hat elongated leaf spring disposed within said hollow hinge pin, -slot means formed in said lbushing retaining one end portion of said spring in a iixa'ble, non-rotational position; a crimp formed in said hinge pin which enga-ges said spring retaining the opposite end of said spring iixedly in said hinge pin for rotation therewith, whereby when said hinge pin is rotated on opening said door said spring is tensioned, and upon release of said door the tension of said spring imparts rotation to said hinge pinto close said door, and said bushing embodying an extension adjacent said top of said frame structure for selectable rotational position-ing of said bushing about the axis of said spring to regulate the tension of said spring, and fastening means to iiX said extension to said top of said frame structure in the selected position.

3. A self-closing door and hinge construct-ion comprising: a door mounted in a door frame structure by hinge means, said hinge means including a hollow, elongated hinge pin rigidly secured to said door; means for rotatably mounting said hin-ge pin at opposite ends in said door frame structure; a torque spring disposed within said hollow hinge pin; means mounting one end portion of said torque spring in a lixed non-rotational posit-ion in said door frame structure; crimp means in said hollow hinge pin engaging said spring and xedly mounting the opposite end of said torque spring lforfrotation with said hinge pin whereby when said hinge pin is rotated on opening said door said torque spring is tensioned, and upon release of said door lthe tension of said spring imparts rotation to said hinge pin to close said door.

4. A self-closing door and lhinge construction comprisfing: a door mounted in a door `frame structure by hinge means, said hinge means including a hollow, elongated hinge pin rigidly secured to said door; means for rotatably mounting said :hinge pin at opposite ends in said door frame structure; a torque spring disposed within said hollow hinge pin; means mounting one end portion of said torque spring in a 'iixed non-rotational position in said door frame structure; the other end of said torque spring terminating short of the coresponding end of the hinge pin and means adjacent said other end of said torque spring substantially clamping said hinge pin upon said torque spring in relatively non-rotational relationship whereby when said hinge pin is rotated on opening said door said torque spring is tensioned, and upon release of said door the tension of said spring imparts rotation to said hinge pin to close said door.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,618,010 Holz NOV. 18, 1952 2,878,531 Benham Mar. 24, 1959 2,908,050 Sullivan et al. Oct. 13, 1959 3,022,536 Floehr Feb. 27, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,795 Ger-many Aug. l2, 1879 

1. A SELF-CLOSING DOOR AND HINGE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: A DOOR MOUNTED IN A DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE BY HINGE MEANS, SAID HINGE MEANS INCLUDING A VERTICAL, HOLLOW, ELONGATED HINGE PIN RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID DOOR ADJACENT ONE EDGE THEREOF; MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID HINGE PIN AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF SAID DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE; A TORQUE SPRING DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOLLOW HINGE PIN; MEANS AT THE TOP OF SAID DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE MOUNTING ONE END PORTION OF SAID TORQUE SPRING IN A FIXED NON-ROTATIONAL POSITION; A CRIMP FORMED IN SAID HOLLOW ELONGATED HINGE PIN INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF FOR RETAINING THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID TORQUE SPRING FIXEDLY IN SAID HINGE PIN FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, WHEREBY WHEN SAID HINGE PIN IS ROTATED ON OPENING SAID DOOR SAID TORQUE SPRING IS TENSIONED, AND UPON RELEASE OF SAID DOOR THE TENSION OF SAID SPRING IMPARTS ROTATION TO SAID HINGE PIN TO CLOSE SAID DOOR. 